


the breeze in my austin nights

by hollyhobbit101



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot Collection, Tumblr Prompt, the boys are being soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-26 10:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30104511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyhobbit101/pseuds/hollyhobbit101
Summary: A collection of short, (mostly) Tarlos one-shots and ficlets, prompted by people on tumblr.one: tk and carlos start a new chapter, but becoming parents isn't all smooth sailing.two: an accident leaves tk fighting for both his life, and carlos'sthree: after a long shift, carlos has a surprise to help tk unwindfour: after meeting tk and carlos at the market, andrea and gabriel have a conversation about their sonfive: carlos has been undercover for three months when tk gets the call
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 47
Kudos: 171





	1. one: becoming parents (tarlos)

**Author's Note:**

> the lone star hiatus mostly lines up with my spring break from uni, so i've decided to start this little collection for the duration! i'll be (hopefully) posting a new one shot every other day from today until season 2b begins, which, if i've counted right, should make 17 chapters. i'm so excited to get going!
> 
> title from texas reznikoff by mitski
> 
> prompt from anon on tumblr: Hello, you can write a fic where tk and carlos adopt babies. thanks

TK’s been sitting here for a while, knees pulled up to his chest, chin resting on his folded arms. He’ll probably hurt like hell when he gets up, but that’s a problem for later. Right now, he just wants to stay here, watching his son’s sleeping form.

His _son_ . It’s incredible that he gets to say that now. Incredible, and thrilling, and fucking _terrifying._

He and Carlos have been fighting for this for so long, _years_ spent wondering if it would ever happen and, now that it has, TK feels totally unprepared. More than anything, he wants to do right by this kid; they only brought him home today, but he already knows that he’d walk through fire for him.

(The irony of that fact is not lost on TK, but it doesn’t make it any less true.)

The sound of shuffling feet comes down the hall towards him, and TK immediately leans into Carlos’s embrace when his husband slides down next to him. They sit in a comfortable silence, but TK knows they’re both thinking the same thing, and they’re going to have to talk about it at some point.

“Are we sure we’re ready for this?” he whispers, not taking his eyes off their son. It’s not a new question, and they’ve already discussed it, but today has brought all those fears back, made them far more real and tangible.

Carlos’s arm tightens around his shoulders, pulling TK close so that their bodies are pressed entirely against each other. “Bit late to turn back now,” he jokes, then sighs. “I don’t know that we were ever going to be completely ready, Ty. But we’re as ready as we can be, and we’ll just have to figure out the rest as we go.”

TK hums, a smile tugging at his lips. “You’re right,” he says. He looks over at his husband, knocking their foreheads together gently. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“That. Be so positive all the time.” He lays his head back down on Carlos’s shoulder, grabbing his wrist and pulling it secure around him. “You always know exactly what to say and you always seem so steady, when all I can think about is how scared I am.”

“TK, I’m terrified too,” Carlos says, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Maybe even more than you.”

TK scoffs, and Carlos laughs quietly. “It’s true,” he continues. “But maybe it’s a good thing that we’re scared. It means that we care, and it means that both of us are going to do our best by him.” He pauses, and TK can feel the weight of his gaze lying heavy on him. When Carlos speaks again, his voice is impossibly soft, yet it cuts right through TK’s chest. “You’re not your parents, Ty.”

TK blinks hard against the sudden onslaught of emotion. “I never said -”

“You didn’t have to,” Carlos shushes. “I know you’ve been worrying about it, and I have too about my parents. But we’re not them. They weren’t perfect, and we won’t be either, but we can sure as hell be better. Everything’s going to be okay; you’ll see.”

TK smiles, surreptitiously wiping away tears, and burrows in closer to Carlos’s side. He kisses his cheek, then looks back into their son’s room, warmth filling his heart at the family they’re beginning to build. “You’re going to be a great dad, you know that?”

He feels Carlos smile where his lips meet TK’s head, and Carlos squeezes his arms around him in a tight hug. “So will you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think i have enough prompts to fill every chapter, but if you want to chat or if you have a prompt, my inbox is always open on tumblr [@morganaspendragonss!](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/) come say hi!


	2. two: car accident (tarlos)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TK wakes up in pieces.
> 
> The pain comes first, then the vague memories of how their car ended up in a ditch instead of safe on the road. He twists his head to the side, searching out Carlos, which is when his heart drops into his stomach.
> 
> Because Carlos isn't moving, and TK can't tell if he's breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the wonderful [jamie](https://silvarafael.tumblr.com/) on her birthday! i hope you have had an amazing day my lovely, and thank you for being such a fantastic person! i hope this year brings you only good things <3
> 
> jamie requested 54 - "I’m fine.” “No you’re not, you’re losing a lot of blood.” - from [this list](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/post/641844945005805568/100-whump-dialogue-prompts)

TK wakes up in pieces.

He notices the pain before anything else, his side feeling like it’s on fire and his head splitting open. It’s dark when he manages to crack his eyes open; he can just barely make out the vague silhouettes of trees surrounding the car. TK frowns, immediately regretting the action as pain lances through his head, and tries to remember what happened.

He’d been with Carlos. They were on their way back from an impromptu vacation after two weeks of opposing shifts led to TK cashing in some time off to spend the weekend together. There’d been this light, and then Carlos had…

_ Carlos! _

TK’s eyes fly open, ignoring the pain as he whips his head to the left, searching for his boyfriend. His heart drops when he sees him - Carlos is pinned against his seat, a large branch stretching across his chest, and there’s glass embedded in his arms. Lower, TK can see a dark stain on Carlos’s jeans, worryingly close to his femoral, and the dash is pressed hard against his legs.

TK leans over as far as he can without jostling his own injuries too much and presses his fingers to Carlos’s throat, breathing out a shaky sigh of relief when he feels a pulse.

“Carlos,” he says, coughing lightly. “Hey, Carlos.”

There’s a tense few seconds of silence before Carlos moans, his eyelids fluttering weakly. “TK?”

“Yeah, it’s me. How are you feeling?”

“Hurts.”

TK forces a chuckle. “I bet it does, babe. Can you be more specific?”

“Chest,” Carlos gasps, tight lines of pain on his face. “Legs.”

“Can you move your arms at all?”

Carlos shakes his head no, and TK sucks in a sharp breath. This just got a whole lot harder; if Carlos can’t reach that wound on his leg, then he’s going to have to deal with them both, and TK doesn’t know how long he can do that for.

“Okay,” he says, trying to keep his tone light for Carlos’s sake. “Your leg is bleeding, it’s too dark for me to tell, but I’m worried it’s nicked something so I’m just going to put some pressure on it.” He stretches his arms out, the distance uncomfortable but manageable, and covers the wound with both his hands, pressing down hard. Carlos lets out a pained cry and TK winces. “Sorry, sorry.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You’re losing a lot of blood.”

Carlos’s eyes squint open, a weak glare forming before his expression turns to alarm when his gaze lands on TK’s face. “And you have a head wound,” he counters. “Anything else you neglected to mention?”

TK hesitates, thinking of the wound in his side that he’s yet to check himself, then shakes his head. “I’m fine.”

Carlos scoffs, but he doesn’t get a chance to argue back as the car chooses that moment to shift.

TK can’t suppress the cry that escapes his lips at the movement,  _ something  _ ripping from his body. Blood starts to freely gush from the wound, soaking his shirt; he grits his teeth against the pain, willing himself to stay conscious. Fortunately - or perhaps not so - Carlos is too out of it to notice his predicament, and TK wants to keep it that way. He increases the pressure against Carlos’s thigh with his left hand, slowly moving his right to his own side. He tries to press down as hard as he can, but it’s difficult to split his strength, all he has left focused on keeping Carlos alive.

“Carlos,” he grits out.  _ “Carlos!” _

He gets no answer save for a worrying wheeze, and one look at his boyfriend’s face confirmed all of TK’s fears. Carlos has passed out, his skin appearing deathly pale even in the darkness of the car, and the branch is now flush against his chest, stopping him from breathing properly. TK wants to check his pulse, but doing so would mean moving his hand from his own wound; besides which, his limbs aren’t cooperating anymore, his body growing heavier as his eyelids start to droop.

He’s on the verge of giving up when voices reach him, growing closer with each passing second.

“Sir, can you-  _ Shit _ . TK?”

“Hey Marjan,” TK groans. He tries to look over at her, but the motion turns his vision to static, threatening his tenuous hold on consciousness.

Marjan curses again. “Paul, it’s TK and Carlos!” she calls. Noise comes from the opposite side of the car as someone else arrives, followed by more swearing.

“Hang in there, brother,” Paul says, face grim.

“Not going anywhere,” TK mumbles. He blinks hard and tries to focus on Marjan’s face, catching her eye. “Y’need to get Carlos out first.”

“We’re gonna get you both out, TK.”

“Carlos first,” he insists. “He’s hurt. Promise me, Marj.”

“You’re hurt too,” she says softly, glancing around anxiously - presumably looking for the rest of the team.

“Him more than me.” TK attempts a grin, though he’s not sure it works. “Trust me; paramedic, remember?”

If Marjan says anything in response, TK doesn’t catch it, because the car shifts again and the world goes dark.

* * *

The next time he wakes, it’s to the sound of machines beeping and a dull ache spreading through his entire body. TK twitches his fingers, feeling another hand tighten around his, and hope lights up his chest for a brief second.

“Carlos?” he asks, heart sinking when the other person sighs in a way that is distinctly un-Carlos like.

“He’s okay, son,” his dad says, smoothing TK’s hair back. “You both are.”

TK forces his eyes open, the bright lights sending a lightning rod of pain through his head, but he breathes through it, turning to look at his dad. “What happened?”

His dad grimaces, looking worn as he shifts in his chair. “You were involved in a car accident,” he explains, tears gleaming in his eyes. “We’re not sure how exactly, but you rolled off the road down an embankment, which was still pretty muddy from all that rain this weekend. It took a long time to extract you both because we were afraid of destabilising the car and hurting you more.”

He takes a breath, squeezing TK’s hand hard. “We got Carlos out first, at  _ your  _ insistence, so I’m told. He lost a lot of blood, but he’s awake and talking now.”

TK looks up at his dad with wide eyes, daring to hope. “He’s okay?”

“Some broken ribs, a fractured knee, a few minor scratches, and there’s the gash on his leg, but, yeah, he’s okay.” He smiles, a somewhat watery affair, before quickly growing sombre. “You, on the other hand, neglected to tell us just how bad that side was. You crashed in the ambulance, scared us half to death. You’re lucky you got here when you did - both of you are.”

A few tears slip down his cheeks and TK’s heart aches with guilt. “I’m sorry,” he says, nervously picking at the bedsheets. “I was just worried about him; I honestly didn’t realise it was that bad.”

His dad sighs. “I know, son.”

TK bites his lip, preparing himself for a fight as he gears up to ask his next question. “Can I see him?”

“TK -”

“Please, Dad. I need to see him.”

He turns a pleading gaze on his dad, who just smiles sympathetically, a hand rubbing his arm. “TK, neither of you are up to be moved right now.  _ But _ , I do have another idea.”

He pulls out his phone, tapping through it before handing it over to TK, who frowns at the display.

“Why are you facetiming Paul?”

“You’ll see.”

TK huffs, but doesn’t press. It’s agony waiting for the call to connect, but his breath catches in his throat when it does.

Because Carlos is staring back at him, and he’s  _ okay _ .

“Carlos,” he breathes, desperately wishing he could reach through the screen to touch him.

“Hey babe,” Carlos says tiredly. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

TK nods his agreement, scanning what he can see of Carlos for injuries. He’s bruised and battered, as TK is sure he himself is, but he’s alive, and that means the world right now. Carlos smiles at him, and TK can’t help but smile back, relief exploding in his chest.

_ “Man, how do y’all even do that?”  _ Paul’s voice comes from off-camera, though TK can just imagine the look on his face right now.  _ “You’re not even in the same room and I still feel like an intruder.” _

“You can leave if it makes you uncomfortable,” Carlos says, gaze briefly going to where Paul presumably is before snapping back to TK. He winks, grinning. “We’ll probably be a while.”

TK laughs, Carlos too, and even Paul and his dad join in eventually. He settles on the pillows, letting his eyes briefly drift closed before looking back at his boyfriend, love sitting warm in his heart.

Yeah.

They’ll be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! come chat to me on tumblr [@morganaspendragonss!](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/)


	3. three: sharing a bath (tarlos)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TK has had a long shift, and Carlos has a surprise to help him unwind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompted by an anon on tumblr, who asked for tk and carlos sharing a bath!

TK lets out a sigh of relief as he shuts the door behind him, closing his eyes and taking a moment to relish in the blessed quiet that surrounds him. His shift had been long, running over by hours thanks to a huge pile-up, and now his entire body is protesting at any form of movement. The couch is tempting, the stairs seeming like a mountain right now, but TK knows from dismal experience that it’s also incredibly uncomfortable. The last thing his aching everything needs right now is more discomfort.

Besides which, Carlos will have a field day tomorrow if he discovers that TK spent the night on the couch when there was a perfectly good bed just feet away, and TK would like to avoid  _ that  _ lecture, thanks very much. So he pushes away from the door and drags himself upstairs, trying to keep the huffing to a minimum, as he knows that Carlos will be asleep by now.

Only, when he opens the door to their bedroom, Carlos is nowhere in sight. TK frowns, then, figuring he’s just in the bathroom, shrugs and sets about getting ready for bed.

“You’re home.”

TK jumps about a foot in the air, turning to glare at his boyfriend. Who, he notes, is looking unfairly gorgeous for two in the morning, wearing nothing but a pair of low-riding sweats, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

“I hate you,” he grumbles, moving to toss his clothes in the hamper. The bed is practically calling to him at this point, but he doesn’t even get a hand on the covers before Carlos has his arms around him, face buried in his neck.

“Sorry,” he says, though his lips are curved in a smile that suggests he’s decidedly  _ not  _ sorry. “Let me make it up to you?”

TK sighs, gently removing Carlos’s arms from around his waist and turning to face him. “Babe,” he says, raising an eyebrow, “I’m exhausted. Normally, I’d love to, but work was a lot and -”

He’s cut off by Carlos letting out a surprised burst of laughter. “Oh my god, no, I don’t mean that.”

“Then what?”

In lieu of an answer, Carlos grabs TK’s hand, pulling him down the hall to the bathroom. He shoots TK a nervous grin before opening the door, and TK’s eyes go wide as he looks inside.

The room is softly lit by the gentle glow of several candles and steam rises from the filled bathtub, which has been scented with something TK can’t quite identify. He turns to stare at his boyfriend, shaking his head fondly.

“Carlos…”

“I figured,” Carlos starts, biting his lip. “I figured you’d be pretty sore from your shift and it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to go to sleep without, you know, relaxing a little? So…” He gestures vaguely to the bath, shrugging. “Is it okay? We - we don’t have to, we can go straight to bed if you’d prefer -”

“Carlos,” TK interrupts, smiling softly. “It’s amazing.  _ You’re  _ amazing. I… Thank you.”

Carlos fucking  _ beams  _ at that, and TK would do anything to keep that expression on his face forever. They strip quickly, settling into the tub together with TK’s back pressed against Carlos’s chest, and Carlos’s chin resting on his head. TK moans as he sinks into the hot water, his eyes fluttering closed as exhaustion fully catches up to him.

Carlos chuckles lightly, pressing a kiss to the top of TK’s head, before moving his hands to his shoulders, massaging them gently. TK practically turns to liquid in Carlos’s arms, his aches seeming to melt away under his boyfriend’s ministrations. 

Sleep tugs at him and TK doesn’t even bother to fight it, simply leaning back further into Carlos. “God, I love you,” he mumbles, letting his head fall against Carlos’s chest.

“I love you too,” Carlos whispers into his hair.

TK drifts off with a smile on his face, a warmth that has nothing to do with the bath settling deep in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr [@morganaspendragonss!](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/)


	4. four: a not-so secret relationship (andrea & gabriel, background tarlos)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After meeting TK and Carlos at the farmers' market, Andrea and Gabriel have a conversation about their son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very very short one today because i've been busy with uni work
> 
> anon on tumblr: Prompt, Carlos’ father runs a background check on TK after meeting him at the farmers market.
> 
> not sure if this is quite what the anon was after but i really enjoyed writing it! it was so much fun to write from andrea's pov

“Gabriel Reyes, you had better not be doing what I think you’re doing.”

Andrea smirks as her husband startles and looks up at her from his computer, an indignant frown crossing his face.

“And what might that be, mi amor?” he asks, leaning back and folding his arms.

She mirrors his position, eyebrow raised. “Looking up that boy who was with our Carlitos at the market,” she says. “TJ, was it?”

“TK,” Gabriel corrects, a second too quickly for the situation to be anything other than what Andrea suspects. He must realise it too, judging by the way he grimaces and turns away from her, back to the computer. “Well, so what if I am?” he grumbles. “Isn’t it a father’s prerogative to want what’s best for his son?”

“Sí, claro,” Andrea says. “But I think in this case they would call it an abuse of power.”

Gabriel purses his lips, hesitating a moment before sighing and exiting out of the browser. He sits back in his chair, rubbing a hand down his face. “Tienes razón, por supuesto. I just wish we knew why he lied to us about them. Surely he knew we’d see right through it.”

“Maybe it’s because he’s seen you do this exact thing with all of his sisters?” she suggests, laughing and holding her hands up at the mock glare Gabriel sends her. “I’m just saying, mi amor. We know you too well.”

Gabriel grumbles some more, but there’s a smile tugging at his lips and Andrea knows she’s gotten through to him.

“Carlitos knows what he’s doing,” she says softly, dropping a quick kiss on her husband’s head. “You just need to trust that he’ll come to us when he’s ready.”

Gabriel hums. “He seems like a good man,” he admits. “TK. A good firefighter.”

“There you go, then.” Andrea squeezes his shoulder once before heading back to the dinner she’s halfway through cooking. She knows Gabriel and Carlos have sometimes struggled to see eye to eye - especially recently - but she hopes that, in time, her son will finally feel safe enough to open his life up to them.

And, whilst Andrea hadn’t done a full background check on him, she knows TK is a good person. One look at Carlos’s face had confirmed it - it’s abundantly clear how much he cares for him, no matter how well he thought he’d been hiding it.

Andrea just wants her son to be happy. And, if this TK is the one to provide that happiness, well then. She likes him already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr [@morganaspendragonss!](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/)


	5. five: "they told me you were dead" (tarlos)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos has been undercover for three months when TK gets the call, summoning him to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can i offer you some carlos whump in these trying times?
> 
> written for the lovely [@221bsunsettowers!](https://221bsunsettowers.tumblr.com/) who requested 93 - "I never thought I'd see you again, they told me you were dead." from [this list](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/post/190041789523/100-whump-dialogue-prompts)
> 
> thank you so much for all your support on my fics, my lovely, and i hope you enjoy this one!

Carlos has been undercover for three months when TK gets the call.

They have been, without exaggeration, the three worst months of TK’s life. He misses his boyfriend desperately; misses being able to kiss him good night and good morning, misses his laugh and his eyes and the sound of his voice. He knows that Carlos had to take this job, and TK is so proud of him for being offered something so huge, but.

He misses him, is all.

So, when he gets the call, three months, eight days, and twelve hours  _ (yes, he’s been counting)  _ after Carlos left, TK immediately excuses himself, cutting Mateo off mid-rant.

“Hello?”

A voice TK doesn’t recognise answers,  _ “I’m looking for a Tyler Kennedy Strand?” _

“Speaking.”

_ “My name is Detective Friedman, I was running the operation Officer Reyes was part of. He has you listed as his emergency contact, is that correct?” _

A cold sense of dread washes over TK at the detective’s words, a sudden lump appearing in his throat. “That’s right,” he manages. “Is he okay?”

There’s an unnerving pause on the other end, sending TK’s heart rate through the roof.

_ “I’m afraid I can’t give you any details over the phone, Mr Strand,”  _ the detective eventually says.  _ “If you could come down to St. David’s Medical Centre, I will be able to tell you more there.” _

TK almost drops the phone. “He’s in the hospital?”

_ “Like I said, Mr Strand -” _

“No, I know, I understand,” TK interrupts, quickly making his way over to Tommy. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The detective cuts the call without another word, and TK can’t find it in himself to be bothered by it. Tommy dismisses him as soon as she hears the news, assuring him that she and Nancy can hold down the fort for the remaining few hours of their shift. TK feels a little guilty for leaving them short-handed, but he knows he’d be useless on calls anyway, and, besides, Carlos needs him.

He gets to the hospital in record time, probably  _ (definitely)  _ breaking several speed limits, but he doesn’t get arrested, so it’s fine. The detective is waiting for him in reception, a grim look on his face that does nothing to soothe TK’s already frayed nerves.

“Mr Strand?” he asks, noticing TK’s hurried approach.

TK nods. “What happened?” he demands. “Where’s Carlos? Can I see him?”

The detective holds up a hand, eyebrow raised. “I’m still not at liberty to discuss the case with you,” he explains slowly -  _ too  _ slowly. “What I can say is, Officer Reyes was involved in an...altercation with our suspects. Physically, he suffered very little - a broken arm, a few bruises here and there - but mentally…” The detective pauses, shaking his head, and TK’s blood runs cold. He just barely manages to hold his tongue as the silence drags out, his anxiety building with each second.

“Well, the truth is, we’re not exactly sure,” he continues. “Officer Reyes appeared to be in a state of shock; he was almost entirely unresponsive to the team, and the nurses here have only managed to get a couple of words out of him. We don’t know what happened to put him in this state, but we were hoping you might be able to get him out of it.”

The detective looks at him expectantly, but TK just stares at him, mind reeling as the news slowly starts to sink in.

_ God _ , what happened to him? It must have been bad for Carlos to shut down so completely; TK dreads to think, though his brain is currently whirring through half a million scenarios, each one worse than the last. His breathing picks up as he feels himself start to spiral, and he jerks back when the detective grabs his shoulder, startled by the unexpected contact.

The detective sighs. “I understand this must be a shock for you, Mr Strand,” he says, “but the sooner we can help Officer Reyes, the better.”

TK nods jerkily, gasping as he tries to focus. Carlos needs him; that’s all that matters now. “Where is he?”

He’s led through the hospital to a single room, his heart crawling into his throat the closer he gets to Carlos. He’s not sure what to expect when the detective gestures for him to enter - bruises, definitely, but for once, the physical injuries aren’t what worry him.

What TK’s certainly  _ not  _ expecting, however, is for Carlos to pale alarmingly as soon as he catches sight of him, tears pooling in his eyes.

“Oh my god,” Carlos gasps. “Oh my god,  _ TK _ .”

He holds out a trembling hand and TK immediately rushes forward, sinking into the chair as he joins their hands. He frowns in concern, taking in the near frantic way Carlos is studying him, his eyes bright and feverish TK reaches out, pressing the back of his free hand against Carlos’s brow, but he feels normal.

“Hey, baby,” he murmurs, holding on tighter. “You’re okay, I’m here.”

Without warning, Carlos pulls away, shaking his head rapidly as he shuffles back in the bed. “No, you’re not, you can’t be!”

TK’s eyes widen, his heart sinking as he stares at Carlos. He has no idea what’s going on, or what Carlos has been through, and he has no idea how to help him.

He sends a desperate glance to the door, but the detective just raises a pointed eyebrow and folds his arms. TK barely resists the urge to growl in frustration before turning back to Carlos, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. All TK wants is to hold his boyfriend, but he knows that that’s not the best move right now.

Instead, he slowly reaches out with one hand, keeping the other where Carlos can see it. “I’m here,” he says softly, meeting Carlos’s eyes, “and I can prove it to you, but you have to trust me, okay?”

Carlos doesn’t respond, but he also doesn’t move back when TK takes his hand, which he figures is a good sign. He brings Carlos’s hand to his chest, pressing it right over his heart.

“Feel that?” he whispers. “I’m here. I’m here.”

A couple more agonising seconds of silence pass, then Carlos launches himself across the bed, TK scrambling to meet him halfway so he doesn’t hurt himself. He bunches TK’s shirt in his fists, clinging on tightly, and buries his face in TK’s neck.

“I never thought I’d see you again,” Carlos sobs, tears dripping onto TK’s shoulder. “They told me you were dead.”

TK’s heart breaks at Carlos’s words and he fears tears pricking at his own eyes, but he refuses to let them fall. Instead, he holds onto Carlos just as tight, a steadying hand on the back of his head.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby,” he says. “I’m always going to be right here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr [@morganaspendragonss!](https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/)


End file.
